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The Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2016
Sometimes the world is not yet ready for a new technology to enter the fray.
Virtual reality, for example, sat on the sidelines for many years. The industry went into hibernation around the time of the Dot Com Bust, and it has only recently re-emerged with promise.
It is only today that big companies like Microsoft, Google, Samsung, HTC, and Facebook have the infrastructure, peripheral technologies, and capital in place to properly commercialize the technology. Now, instead of using primitive 300 x 200 pixel LCD displays that were prohibitively expensive in the 90s, we are looking at a world where display will be in beautiful 4k quality. Meanwhile, accelerometers and gyroscopes can measure head movement, and modern computing power can reduce lag and latency. It took many years, but finally the true potential of VR is being realized.
Like virtual reality, there are 10 other emerging technologies that are finally ready for prime time. Some, like the recent advances in artificial intelligence, have been decades in the making. Other emerging technologies such as the blockchain are relatively new phenomenons that are also ready for their time in the spotlight.
Emerging Technologies of 2016
- Nanosensors and the Internet of Nanothings is one of the most exciting areas of science today. Tiny sensors that are circulated in the human body or construction materials will be able to relay information and diagnostics to the outside world. This will have an impact on medicine, architecture, agriculture, and drug manufacturing.
- Next Generation Batteries are helping to eliminate one of the biggest obstacles with renewable energy, which is energy storage. Though not commercially available yet, this area shows great promise – and it is something we are tracking in our five-part Battery Series.
- The Blockchain had investment exceeding $1 billion in 2015. The blockchain ecosystem is evolving rapidly and will change the way banking, markets, contracts, and governments work.
- 2d Materials such as graphene will have an impact in a variety of applications ranging from air and water filters to batteries and wearable technology.
- Autonomous Vehicles are here, and the potential impact is huge. While there are still a few problems to overcome, driverless cars will save lives, cut pollution, boost economies, and improve the quality of life for people.
- Organs-on-Chips, which are tiny models of human organs, are making it easier for scientists to test drugs and conduct medical research.
- Petrovskite Solar Cells are making photovoltaic cells easier to make and more efficient. They also allow cells to be used virtually anywhere.
- Open AI Ecosystem will allow for smart digital assistants in the cloud that will be able to advise us on finance, health, or even fashion.
- Optogenetics, or the use of light and color to record activity in the brain, could help lead to better treatment of brain disorders.
- Systems Metabolic Engineering will allow for building block chemicals to be built with plants more efficiently than can be done with fossil fuels.
Original graphic by: Futurism
The Sum of Its Parts: The Smartphone Multiplier Market
Every day, 3.3 billion people rely on their smartphones to stay connected. The products and services enabling this—the smartphone multiplier market—is now worth $459 billion.
The Sum of Its Parts: The Smartphone Multiplier Market
There’s a 60% chance you’re reading this article on a smartphone right now—a testament to how ubiquitous these devices have truly become in our lives.
We rely on smartphones every waking minute to stay connected. However, the various products and services—also known as the smartphone multiplier market—that allow us to use these devices in the first place can often be an afterthought.
Today’s chart uses data from Deloitte Insights to show just how sizable this ecosystem is becoming, and why it’s heating up as a battleground for big technology companies such as Apple, Alphabet, and Amazon.
The Smartphone Plateau
There are over 3.3 billion smartphone users in the world today.
The smartphone economy—estimated to pull in $944 billion in total revenue in 2020—is so massive that it rivals the GDP of countries like Indonesia and the Netherlands.
At the moment, the smartphones themselves contribute over half the market value. Despite the continued hype surrounding the release of new models, global unit shipments of smartphone devices appears to have reached a saturation point:
There are two theories as to why shipments are leveling off. First, product innovation is more iterative today than in the past, which means there are fewer groundbreaking features to entice consumers into purchasing new devices. A second factor is that people are simply holding onto their devices for longer than in the past.
As device sales plateau, tech giants are diversifying efforts to find new ways to lure customers back in—and another related market is growing more lucrative as a result.
What is a “Smartphone Multiplier”?
When people think of the smartphone market, hardware likely springs to mind first, but an equally important part of the equation is the plethora of apps, services, accessories, and complementary devices that help us connect with the digital world.
The ecosystem of these products and services are known as smartphone multipliers. According to Deloitte, this ecosystem will drive $459 billion of revenues in 2020, an impressive 15% increase from the prior year.
The market can be broken down into three main categories:
|Category||Market Value (2020e)||Sub-categories|
(68% of total)
|$176B: Mobile ads
(24% of total)
$9B: Smart speakers
(8% of total)
Largely driven by mobile advertising and app sales, content is by far the largest subcategory, accounting for 68% of revenues:
- Mobile advertising surpassed TV as the largest advertising channel in 2019, partially thanks to the relentless growth of online video and social media, making ads virtually unavoidable on a smartphone.
- Gaming apps are benefiting from the immense processing power of today’s smartphones—and will bring in over two-thirds of total app revenue in 2020. Apple’s app store brought in approximately $1.8 billion in sales between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day alone.
If you’ve ever owned a pair of headphones or a powerbank, it’s easy to understand why accessories are the third-largest subcategory in the smartphone multiplier market. With more people ditching the cable for wireless headphones, this subcategory is also set to grow even more.
The Next $1T Economy?
In the U.S., 73% of adults go online several times a day or almost constantly, which makes it clear that they aren’t going to give up their smartphones anytime soon.
As a result, smartphone multipliers will continue to evolve and flourish, presenting a unique opportunity for investors and businesses.
Altogether, it’s expected that the smartphone multiplier market will grow between 5 and 10% annually through 2023, likely propelling the entire smartphone economy past the $1 trillion benchmark in the coming years.
How the STEM Crisis is Threatening the Future of Work
This infographic explores the importance of closing the STEM education skills gap and how it is crucial for to help future proof an uncertain global economy.
How the STEM Crisis Threatens the Future of Work
As the world’s leading economy, the U.S. is under pressure to produce the best minds to solve the greatest challenges facing mankind.
The problem is, the United States is falling behind in some of the most important areas of education to help solve the problems of today and tomorrow. The crisis in STEM fields—which cover science, technology, engineering and mathematics—is threatening the growing workforce and in turn, the country’s position in the global economy.
Today’s infographic from Early Childhood Education Degrees explores the importance of STEM education and how an emphasis on these four areas could successfully lead the world into an uncertain future.
The Rise of STEM
STEM is a relatively new term, coined less than two decades ago—although the grouping of subjects was sometimes referred to as SMET in previous years.
While 86% of Americans believe that increasing the number of workers in STEM areas is vital for maintaining their position in the global economy, a 2005 report sounded the alarm that U.S. students were lagging behind academically.
To combat this issue, STEM education and subsequent research programs were injected with more funding. New legislation also helped prioritize these subjects in the curriculum for kindergarten through high school.
The Skills Shift
According to Emsi, a modeler of economic data, undergraduates in STEM education increased by 43% between 2010 and 2016. However, despite the promising growth, 2.4 million STEM jobs went unfilled in 2018.
One possible reason for this? Advancing technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and robotics require entirely new skill sets. Success in STEM jobs also relies on adapting to new situations and developing soft skills such as:
- Creativity and innovation
- Problem-solving and critical thinking
- Collaboration and leadership
As these technologies continue to evolve, having skills in STEM will be non-negotiable for employees and leaders the world over.
Threatening U.S. Economic Leadership
Statistics show that the U.S. is providing more opportunities for other countries to take the lead in STEM fields. For example, 62% of all international students in tertiary education in the U.S. are in science and engineering fields, with almost 70% of those students coming from India and China.
What’s more, over half of all U.S. patents go to foreign nationals and companies instead of Americans at home.
If America’s STEM proficiency continues to decline, not only will the skills gap be detrimental to the workforce, but it will also erode its potential future for economic and scientific leadership.
The Global STEM Leaders
According to the World Economic Forum, China is a major player in STEM education, boasting 4.7 million graduates as of 2016.
The country’s swift uptake of STEM initiatives is driven by new government policy, school participation, and parents’ increasing awareness of the benefits that will future proof the careers of their children.
The U.S. sits in third place with 568,000 STEM graduates, but compares closely with India on STEM graduates per population—1 to 52 in India and 1 to 57 in the United States. However, they’re still no match for China’s 1 to 29 ratio.
Narrowing the Skills Gap
If the U.S. is to become a global leader in STEM literacy, innovation, and employment, the Department of Education suggests that a STEM reform is needed, with the increase of diversity and inclusion being a top priority.
A significant opportunity for growth lies in making STEM more accessible for women—but while there has been a steady rise in women pursuing STEM careers, there are still systemic barriers in place that prohibit women from entering.
Experts also suggest that the introduction of STEM at an earlier age and educating students on the diversity of STEM careers are crucial elements in preparing a more capable workforce.
Given the recent demand for reform, it is clear that STEM education is key to thriving in the new technology-based economy and cultivating solutions to real world problems.
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The local economy “must be taken into account”
Sirikul Laopaikul, director of the Phor Laew Dee the Creator project, center; stands next to Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi, CEO of ThaiBev, fifth from right; and Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Chairwoman of the Board of Kasikornbank, fourth from right; and young entrepreneurs on stage at the Sustainability Expo 2022 on Sunday. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)
Sustainable growth, rather than maximum profit, should be the bottom line of businesses, according to Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, chairwoman of the board of Kasikornbank (KBank).
Speaking at the “Thurakij Kao Phordee” forum, organized by the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC), on the sidelines of the Sustainability Expo 2022 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center on Sunday, she said a sustainability-based approach should be a core management in the conduct of business.
She said businesses should be inclusive and consider all stakeholders, including those involved in the local economy. Sustainability allows the country to be resilient and succeed in any crisis, she said.
Ms. Kobkarn, who is also the Vice President of the TCC, said that the principle of economy of sufficiency of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great is strictly adhered to by the TCC.
Its economic philosophy is the principle that the TCC stands for, as it recognizes the values that must be passed on to the next generation to bring long-term development and sustainability to the country, she said.
Sirikul Laopaikul, director of the Phor Laew Dee the Creator project, said the principle of sufficiency economy can be applied to all aspects of life, including business.
The Phor Laew Dee the Creator project was set up to promote a sufficiency economy and creativity to nurture new generations of entrepreneurs with goals beyond business growth.
According to Ms. Sirikul, these entrepreneurs, who range from cafe owners to fashion designers, learn a lot about Phosphorusor lasting balance, which allows them to reach out to others.
Manoon Thanawang, owner of Cocoa Valley Resort in Pua district, Nan province, said his company has engaged the local community at every stage, from production to processing, and business is conducted through sharing. advantages.
According to Mr. Manoon, this means that local farmers are encouraged to grow plants and the products are purchased at the highest possible price.
It also means older workers are being hired to separate bean pods from the nib as part of efforts to reduce reliance on machinery, he said.
His cocoa business has also become a tourist attraction in the province, generating income for the local community.
Kanchana Shnatepaporn, founder of textile company BWILD Isan, said the business, which relies on handcrafted products, has brought together skilled designers who have been left jobless during the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said she was proud of the company which uses a wide range of local materials and recycled fibers, adding that local craftsmanship has gained international recognition.
The forum also featured members of the Young Entrepreneur Chamber of Commerce, who are said to have worked closely with local communities to develop sustainable businesses.

domain: news


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flipped the switch of the Pixel Visual Core chip that fuels the
HDR+ feature on Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL
devices. In December last year, the company dropped the word
about bringing Pixel Visual Core’s capabilities to other apps. But now, the
custom designed co-processor can be leveraged by many popular
Android apps that use the device’s camera, including WhatsApp,
Instagram, Snapchat, etc.
These apps will be able to capture images better than before
with the help of its computational photography and machine
learning capabilities. According to Google, Pixel Visual
Core is designed for processing images quickly with greater
muscle power but cutting down on battery consumption.
The chip would allow third-party apps to capture brighter and
more detailed images using HDR+. But HDR+ is one of the things
the co-processor can do. Google said last year that they would
develop more applications for the custom chip in the future.
The changes announced will be rolled out for Pixel 2 and Pixel
2 XL in the coming weeks along with other software
improvements. Google will also release new winter sports-themed
AR Stickers for Pixel 2. Users can decorate their photos and
videos with freestyle skiers, twirling ice skaters, hockey


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The Government Accountability Office has just released a report to Congress (PDF) slamming the efforts of the FCC and the NTIA to alert consumers about the upcoming transition to digital television. The report finds that, despite plenty of work done by various agencies and private organizations, "no comprehensive plan exists" to manage the entire transition.
If it's difficult to explain the February 2009 digital TV transition to consumers, it's doubly difficult when hundreds of different groups are involved. The GAO points out that over 160 "business, trade, grassroots, and other organizations" are involved with the Digital Television Transition Coalition. The group, which is trying to get the word out so that angry seniors don't beat down their doors, also needs to coordinate with the two government agencies involved with the transition.
And that level of coordination demands a Plan, a Plan complete with milestones, key goals, and risk mitigation scenarios. In other words, a long and boring document. But as FCC Chairman Kevin Martin admitted in an interview with GAO auditors, the FCC has no such formal plan. Instead, said Martin, "the various orders contained in the FCC dockets amount to a plan."
Yes, I am. But is the government?
The GAO disagrees. And without an overarching plan, the GAO worries that government and private industry will run into coordination problems. "Complicating matters is uncertainty regarding retailer participation and readiness and potential challenges related to inventory planning," says the report. "With limited or delayed retailer participation, consumers might face difficulties in redeeming their coupons for eligible converter boxes during the designated time period." And if the converter box program turns into a debacle, things could get ugly.
Now, the FCC and the NTIA have all done plenty of work; the FCC has even launched an ugly but functional web site (complete with Netscape favicon) for consumers. Private industry, too, has agreed to spend millions promoting the transition, with the Consumer Electronics Association, the National Association of Broadcasters, and the National Cable & Telecommunications Association all chipping in.
But the GAO wants coordination and milestones, and its report issues guidance for how to get such a Plan together. The official responses to this advice have been interesting. Kevin Martin sent a letter to the GAO complaining about the report's approach and conclusions, but didn't bother to indicate why. Instead, he spent most of the letter complaining that the GAO would not include a lengthy FCC document in the report (the GAO has put it up online).
The Department of Commerce, which runs the NTIA, acknowledged that simply relying on voluntary industry participation for such a crucial campaign had certain risks, but Commerce was not at all convinced that establishing a "digital transition czar" was the right answer. The GAO drily notes that "we did not recommend establishing a digital transition czar" and that Commerce offered no comment on the actual recommendations made.
So, with the government agencies apparently unwilling to address the actual recommendations made by the GAO, it doesn't look like a full-fledged Plan will be forthcoming. Let's hope the transition goes smoothly without one. If not, you stock up on the pitchforks, I'll collect the torches, and we'll meet at the FCC on a cold day in 2009 when the glow from our TVs turns to static. (Note: I have an ATSC-ready TV, so I won't actually be there. But I'll be thinking of you! Stay warm!)
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ALL SHALL PERISH: New Lyric Video Released!
Oakland, CA based extreme metallers ALL SHALL PERISH have posted a lyric video for the track “The Death Plague” at the following location: http://youtu.be/ko4YlD27Ce4. The song comes from their latest record album This Is Where It Ends, which was released on July 26, 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records. ALL SHALL PERISH scanned 8,422 copies of This Is Where It Ends in its first week of sales in the United States according to Nielson Soundscan. The record came in at #50 on the US Billboard Top 200 Chart, making it their highest first week sales ever and their highest charting release to date! In contrast, 2008’s Awaken The Dreamers sold just under 5,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 126. ALL SHALL PERISH recently performed as part of METALLICA’s second annual Orion Festival this past June, which was followed by a headlining run with OCEANO, WITHIN THE RUINS, OBEY THE BRAVE, REFLECTIONS, and BETRAYAL. This Is Where It Ends, ALL SHALL PERISH’s fourth full-length record and follow-up to their 2008 release Awaken the Dreamers, was recorded and mixed once again at Castle Ultimate Studios in Oakland with producer Zack Ohren (DECREPIT BIRTH, SUFFOCATION). Album art was brought to life by Brent Elliott White (DEATH ANGEL, JOB FOR A COWBOY, WHITECHAPEL). The new music video for “Royalty Into Exile” can be seen on the official ALL SHALL PERISH YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iELZNGAE8PU&feature=channel_video_title. Visit ALL SHALL PERISH online at: www.allshallperish.com, www.facebook.com/allshallperish, www.myspace.com/allshallperish,


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Coronavirus Highlights Fragility of Global Supply Networks
- Supplier Management
As public health epidemiologists warn that the coronavirus epidemic is far worseThan earlier envisaged and that other countries should consider tough containment measures similar to those imposed in China, the likely human cost of the outbreak is enormous. The ease with which the virus can be spread, even by people who have never been to China, let alone Wuhan, which was highlighted by a case in the United Kingdom. A businessman, who caught the virus at a conference in Singapore, was linked to several other cases. Eight people tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, while five British nationals tested positive in France following the businessman’s trip to a French ski resort, and an NHS clinic he attended had to be temporarily closed.
Meanwhile, the WHO has suggested that the incubation period for the virus may be as much as 24 days, which means the 14-day quarantine periods imposed to date may not be sufficient to contain the disease. That’s quite an ordeal for a lot of people, not least passengers who are locked in their cabins on cruise liners whose supplies are running short.
The consequences on supply networks?
But even if containment has the desired effect, what are the wider consequences of shutting down schools, shopping centers, factories, transportation and supply networks?
Procurement professionals around the world are sitting up and paying attention, especially in sectors with globally integrated supply chains. In such a crisis, virtually all supply categories appear “strategic”: as CNN business bluntly put it, “You can’t make a car with 99% of the parts. Coronavirus could wreck the global auto industry.”
Since the outbreak of SARS in 2003, the last major epidemic to hit China, the country has become even more important as a source of key components and materials as well as finished consumer goods. China’s economy has grown in leaps and bounds from roughly 4% of world GDP in 2003 to 16% today. Since 2004 the city of Wuhan, at the center of the outbreak and in lockdown since January 23, has been a focal point of the Rise of Central China Plan, making it one of the country’s key inland hubs for advanced manufacturing. It has at least five major industrial zones with various specializations including automobile production and assembly, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, heavy industry, telecommunications equipment, laser and fiber optics technology and much more. Plus, Wuhan has a dedicated export park.
Other manufacturing hubs in China, particularly in Hubei province, have also been badly hit by the coronavirus outbreak.
Supply chains around the world that have been most heavily impacted include high-tech, pharmaceutical and automotive industries. Technology companies in North America and Europe are especially dependent on contract manufacturing in China and just-in-time shipments. Forbes reported that Dell Technologies, HP, Qualcomm, Huawei, Samsung, Qorvo, Skyworks Solutions, MagnaChip Semiconductor, and Amkor Technologies are all looking at disruptions to their supply chains: most of the contract manufacturing capacity is located in regions that are under similar restrictions as the province of Hubei.
The most heavily impacted industries
Coronavirus and the auto industry
In the auto industry, China is the world’s major supplier of parts. It shipped parts with a value approaching $35 billion in 2018, according to UN data, including $20 billion in parts to the United States alone in 2018, most of them going to assembly lines. CNN Business quoted Kristin Dziczek, vice president of a Michigan automotive think tank as saying, “It’s difficult to say when it will start to bite here […] All automakers have a supply chain war room going on right now to determine what they can be doing. But China is so huge, there is no way they cannot be impacted.”
The situation is perhaps even more serious in Germany, whose auto industry has a deep and multidirectional relationship with China. The CAR Center Automotive Research at the University of Duisburg-Essen calculates that in 2019 a third of all vehicles manufactured by German companies worldwide were sold in China, a total of around 5.2 million units. Most of these – around 4.8 million units – are manufactured in China itself, either directly by German companies or with Chinese partners.
The world’s largest automotive supplier, Bosch, also produces in China, including Wuhan. Presenting the company’s preliminary financial results for 2019, its CEO Volkmar Denner stated, “If this takes longer and the supply chains are affected, there could be disruptions.” That was in the early stages of the outbreak. Similar warnings have been issued by leading German auto manufacturers such as BMW.
FIAT was the first global auto company to raise the specter of a shutdown of a European plant, highlighting the risk to global supply chains from the coronavirus emergency. On February 6 Fiat Chrysler has warned that one of its European plants will be forced to shut down production in a matter of weeks.
As for Japan, Nissan said in a widely reported statement on February 10 that it will temporarily stop production at its factory in Kyushu. In fact, the effects of the increasingly widespread blocking of goods traffic into and out of China are beginning to be felt in the supply chains of raw materials and vehicle parts throughout the country. Toyota is also affected.
But what about other sectors?
At the time of writing disruption has been limited to individual cases rather than becoming widespread. Even so, it can reach companies and places you would not expect. Take, for example, procurement of equipment and supplies in healthcare. Die Welt reported that the fan manufacturer ebm-papst is a family-run business in Mulfingen, a small town near Heilbronn in southern Germany. It has three plants in China and all were closed at the behest of the government in Beijing. This means the disruption to the supply of its fans, which are widely used in hospital ventilation systems.
There is great uncertainty on how long this particular crisis will run, but sooner or later there are bound to be similar scenarios in the future. Flexible and holistic supply management will be key.
Beyond a certain point – and we cannot yet be certain when that point will be reached – such individual cases may become generalized. Another consideration is that buying companies will have pulled their representatives, including engineers, out of China in response to the virus, meaning that when the virus is finally brought under control, it will still be some time before things can get back to anything like normal.
In this context procurement organizations must rapidly develop risk mitigation strategies. There is great uncertainty on how long this particular crisis will run, but sooner or later there are bound to be similar scenarios in the future. Flexible and holistic supply management will be key.
Jim Bureau, JAGGAER CEO, comments: “It is vital to have robust supplier management and risk mitigation strategies in place. Intelligent and structured supplier management strategies, based on digital solutions, can proactively provide insight to activate emergency plans to face these types of real–world circumstances.
“In practice this means having insight into your supplier network as well as alternative means of fulfilling both direct and indirect sourcing needs with suppliers, already classified and approved. Such measures enable organizations like cruise lines to deal with emergency supplier management requirements that need to be acted upon. Insight into suppliers on a global basis allows them to mitigate risks and save lives. It eliminates the need for a long process of scouting, selection and on-boarding at short notice.”
As we transition through this unfortunate situation many companies will alter how they manage their supply chains today. “It is critically important that risk and resilience is built into supply chain strategies, especially in direct procurement,” said Bureau. “Most companies have contingency and business continuity plans for disruptions of various sorts but coronavirus, which is putting whole regions of the world out of action, at least temporarily, is a whole new ball game.”


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A plan to build extra shops at an old community library site have been thrown out by Stockton Council.
The Egglescliffe Library site on Butterfield Drive has been redeveloped since it closed permanently, with a cafe, barbers, a nursery moving in.
Applicant TC Developments lodged plans for two trendy, cedar-clad units after seeing a high demand from potential tenants.
But council planners have knocked back the application, saying it "failed to demonstrate that a preferable site was unavailable" - and could not justify the "out of centre" retail development.
One objector to the plans said: "Given that Yarm has many empty shops, and Stockton and Middlesbrough have become empty town centres, devoid of shoppers, I am at a loss to understand why we need more.
"Four new shops have taken the place of the library and open green space has been reduced."
Refusing permission for the scheme, council planners said: "The proposed development is considered to adversely impact upon the vitality and viability of existing defined retail centres contrary to Local Planning Policies."
Egglescliffe Library was closed in early 2017 by Stockton Council, following Government reductions and a libraries review.


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Next Generation has an article up on Marvel Ultimate Alliance, the latest Marvel U. video game that comes out tomorrow. It reveals some interesting facts about the game, such as it having 23 different endings and a VIP “secret code” that unlocks the Silver Surfer:
Activision chose to get a bit more creative with its online efforts with a program that brought the more dedicated fans into a single community. According to Kostich, the results were excellent.
“We’ve done a lot of viral stuff and one of the things that we did which has been I think a huge success for this title, is we launched a VIP program that’s really for the insiders and the biggest fans in Marvel. We created a center community for them. It can be accessed at vip.marvelultimatealliance.com.”
He explained, “You’re actually invited to this program if you pre-sell a copy of this game at GameStop. There, when you pre-sell a copy of the game, you’ll get a special unlockable code for Silver Surfer and an invitation to become a VIP which you can pass along to twenty of your friends. It’s really an exclusive community that we’ve built to give these guys special access to information—early information as to who the characters are going to be and access to the developers and their thoughts on developing the game. So it’s really a fun insider community that, interestingly enough, has made this our highest trafficked piece of Marvel gaming property that we’ve had to date. And since we’ve launched the VIP community our website traffic has tripled. The results have been phenomenal.”
The game comes out tomorrow and will be available for the Playstation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PC, Gameboy Advance and PSP. For more info, visit the official website.


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An early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives.
The Newest Trend in wine has hit the Valley in the form of a 5 gallon keg. That's right folks, a keg o' wine. Valley favorite Postino has started serving wine on tap at both the Arcadia and Central locations. Read the full story here.
Things just keep getting stranger and stranger. The Chessington World of Adventures theme park just outside of London has plans to test out a new super appetizing snack this week---flavored crickets and chocolate ant wafer biscuits (biscuit = cookie). The new goodies will be available in their new zone, Wild Asia, which has replaced the beloved Beanoland (???). BBC has the scoop.
After Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year, beer festivals and all the other events of the past week, everyone could probably stand to consume something a little heathier than a box of chocolates washed down with beer. Try this yummy and super simple Banana Smoothie.


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Several state and county agencies say samples of unpasteurized milk show it contained Salmonella when six people fell ill in Utah, Salt Lake and Wasatch counties.
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, Utah Department of Health and Utah County Health Department announced their findings Friday.
The sale of unpasteurized, or raw, milk was suspended at stores supplied by the dairy on April 23. Testing done on new milk has shown the product meets standards set by Utah law. The dairy was allowed to resume sales on Wednesday.
Department of Agriculture director of regulatory services Richard Clark says the agency is working with the dairy to identify the source of the salmonella.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.
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Is Kate Gosselin’s new career on a cruise ship already doomed? The word is that people have already been alienated by the mom of eight, and nobody will even go on the cruise with her.
The week-long Caribbean cruise with Kate Gosselin is offered by Alice Travel. The problem is, people do not seem to be running for the opportunity to spend thousands cruising with the reality TV star.
One poll showed that 45 percent of readers would actually go so far as to cancel their vacation if they heard that the much maligned reality TV mom were going to be on their ship. That is a pretty harsh judgement of her ability to attract people on the trip.
The cruise actually started to book on Friday, and as of today, there are still plenty of spots to be had. In fact, Alice Travel does not know if the trip will sell out. What do you think?
Author Joe Piazza said, “Kate Gosselin is scraping away at the remnants of fame. The celebrity cruise circuit used to be one of the only appearance fees a celeb could get, before the halcyon days of $100,000 nightclub payments. Today it is seen as a hail mary pass for a paycheck.”
Well, Kate does have eight children to feed, and this seems to be the biggest thing she has besides being a coupon blogger. For her and the children’s sake, this had better work, but it’s already starting to look like it may be doomed. Not many people want to pay to learn crafts from this mom.
Like this article? See more by Kate James at Gather.com


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The Baobab Network,a Nairobi-based accelerator that invests in early-stage technology startups around Africa, has announced its latest cohort of four investees, each receiving USD 50,000 in cash.
Since 2019, the Baobab Network has been helping and investing in startups all over Africa. After making four new investments, it now has 29 startups in 11 countries in its portfolio.
At the end of June, the newest group of companies joined a three-month intensive growth program. All of them got $50,000 in funding, which is the new price for any company that wants to join The Baobab Network’s accelerator.
We spent our first few years on the market testing our model and making sure we could provide real value to African founders, as well as putting in place the processes we needed to scale it. Christine Namara, who is in charge of programs at The Baobab Network, says so.
Beginning in 2022, we launched our first cohort entirely with the notion that we can replicate the process of creating value at scale for African founders. We are pretty happy with the quality of the startups that came out of that.
One of the said startups that is part of the most recent cohort is called Oval Interactive. It is an interactive MarTech platform that enables people to earn and learn while providing brands with an opportunity to engage with consumers through their flagship product Trivia Billionia. Oval Interactive is based in Nigeria.
Two South African startups were also chosen: Lemon, a platform that makes it easy for businesses to buy industrial supplies, and Local Knowledge, a TravelTech company that enables digital tourists to explore Africa and improve living standards there.
Shemagh is the fourth company. It is a marketplace that makes it easier for small stores in Ethiopia to order, store, and pay for inventory.
The Baobab Network has invested in 25 other startups since it started its accelerator in 2019, including 5 from the first cohort earlier this year. Each of the four new companies received USD 50,000 in funding and an intensive program to help them grow.
We included a demo day as part of the process, and we are quite pleased with the traction our founders have had from the most recent one we held,” Namara added.
Since we started our accelerator in 2019, our companies have raised more than $50 million in follow-up funding, so the model is working.
We are thrilled to share some good news about the growth of our portfolio thus far, as well as introduce you to the founders that are a part of our current cohort.
Today, there are 4, but by the end of the year, we hope there will be 20. We want to be Africa’s leading tech accelerator, built for and focused on building excellence from the continent, saysNamara, the Program Lead at TBN
The Baobab Network’s Cohort 1, 2023, is now accepting applications.


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Spotify today is rolling out a big change in terms of how users connect with artists on its streaming music platform. With the newly debuted artist profile pages, content has been reorganized under three main tabs, including Music, Events, and Merch. The Music tab will also now not only feature the artist’s tracks and albums, but also social features like Clips — short-form videos that let artists tell their own stories. And they can include fundraising links that allow artists to crowdsource financial support from partners like Cash App, Givealittle, GoFundMe, iyzico (a PayU company), Mercado Pago, PayPal.me, PayU, and Music Relief organizations.
Artists can also use the Music tab to showcase their popular releases, featured playlists — including editorial, radio, and algorithmic like the “This is…” playlists — and their own Artist Pick. The latter can be anything important to the artist, including a release, playlist, show announcement, new merch, or a podcast. This pick will expire every 6 months to encourage artists’ to regularly update their profiles with fresh content.
Clips, meanwhile, are under 30-second short videos, similar to Stories, that allow artists to offer a look behind the scenes or talk about their creative process. However, Spotify notes that Clips is still in beta testing and only some artists currently have access.
In addition, artists can include their bio on this tab which can be up to 1500 characters, and they can link out to their profiles on other platforms, like Facebook, Instagram, X, or Wikipedia — similar to a Linktree collection.
Spotify will also leverage the profiles to introduce fans to other music they may like via a “Fans Also Like” feature and an “Appears On” section that highlights other albums and compilations the artist appears on, including as a songwriter or producer.
Meanwhile, the Events tab lets fans purchase tickets to shows or tap the “Interested” button to get updates about shows coming to their area.
The ticket sales themselves are facilitated by Spotify’s third-party partners — a long list that includes big names like Ticketmaster, Eventbrite, AXS, Songkick and as well as other smaller partners, online brands, and international sellers, including DICE, Gigantic, NoCap, nugs.net, Resident Advisor, See Tickets, StageIt, Ticketek, Tixr, and Eplus (in Japan). Spotify notes that tests of its dedicated Events tab boosted engagement with concerts by 70% and drove a 15% increase in ticket sales.
On the Merch tab, artists can show up to 12 of their merch items with the most recently listed items showing first. This is made possible through a partnership with Shopify, first announced in 2021, which lets artists sync selections from their product catalogs to Spotify’s app. The integration offers artists an additional revenue stream and could potentially encourage artists selling on their own websites to switch over to Shopify’s storefronts instead. By putting merch in its own tab, Spotify saw a 22% increase in purchases from users who visited an artist’s profile, it said.
The revamped profiles follow other artist-focused announcements introduced earlier this year at the company’s Stream On live event, where Spotify debuted new marketing tools for promoting releases and its TikTok-like video-centric Home feed where fans are introduced to new music. The company said at the time it would also begin to showcase merch and events in other places throughout the app, to allow fans more access to these features, including through a Live Events Feed personalized to their tastes.
The new tab design is rolling out today, but only on Spotify’s mobile app, not desktop or web.


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Yahoo shares fall despite sales boost
SHARES in Yahoo fell yesterday a day after it reported fourth quarter revenue that topped analysts' estimates.
The results, which took Wall Street by surprise, saw the internet portal increase sales for the first time since 2008 in what was seen as vindication for the strategy of the new chief executive Marissa Mayer.
Fourth-quarter earnings, excluding some items, were 32 cents a share, while revenue excluding sales passed to partner sites, rose 4pc to $1.22bn (€906m). Analysts had projected profit of 28 cents on revenue of $1.21bn. The results are a huge boost to the firm, which employs more than 200 people in Ireland and is looking to expand its operations here.
Ms Mayer, a long-time Google executive before taking the Yahoo position last year, said she expects to build on the last quarter's gains by getting users to spend more time on a dozen popular sites, including mail and Yahoo Finance.
Still, forecasts for this quarter and the full year that fell short of analysts' predictions underscore the challenge Mayer faces in display advertising, an area where Yahoo lags behind Google and Facebook.
By mid-afternoon in New York the shares were off 2.8pc at $19.73. (Additional reporting by Bloomberg)


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This week, our Get Covered America campaign is launching a ‘Coverage Is Coming’ outreach push as we count down the days until the first enrollment deadline: December 23.
For the next three weeks, consumers can sign up for insurance to be covered January 1, 2014.
We’ll have more than a thousand events across the country in the next 21 days to help get the word out to consumers about their new health insurance options. From World AIDS Day commemorations and community health summits to holiday toy drives in partnership with local faith leaders, we’ll be reaching consumers to get them the facts they need.
You can get more information on events near you and R.S.V.P. at www.getcoveredamerica.org/events. And if your organization is interested in teaming up with us to reach consumers, you can sign up, and we’ll be in touch.
After the December 23 deadline, consumers will still have until March 31 to get covered later in 2014. And last month, we announced that we’re on pace to reach at least 300,000 uninsured and underinsured consumers in our 11 target states by that March deadline — about 10 percent of the expected enrollment in those states.
Be sure to keep checking in daily for updates on how we — and our partners — are getting the facts to consumers before December 23. Stay tuned!


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Real burgers are cooked over real flames says Burger King, who has kicked off a new campaign to dive into backyards and find tasty burgers and their makers.
Around New Zealand, millions of BBQs are blazing, so for the next two months, 50 Backyard Burger Kings will open around the country, with each spot decked out as the real deal.
Each kit handed out is a Burger King restaurant in a box, complete with ingredients to make 16 Whoppers, plus your own customised cooking utensils, hat, apron, matches and even a light up Burger King road sign.
Backyard Burger King kits are being given away through a TV, digital, in-store and social campaign with potential candidates being directed to apply at backyardbk.co.nz.
Application numbers are already exceeding the entire campaign’s targets in just over four days. To date more than 12,500 entries have been received.
“Burger King’s been using flames to cook Whoppers since 1957. Despite almost sixty years of cooking this way, many people don’t know or don’t believe their burgers are still made over real flames. Backyard Burger King is an engaging way to help reassure them they are,” Colenso BBDO ECD Steve Cochran said.
Burger King NZ GM of marketing James Woodbridge added, “We are thrilled with the response to the campaign to date and to have this many entries just shows how many Burger King fans are keen to experience the flame grilled taste for themselves.
“We’ve always had an active and engaged group of social followers so we can’t wait to see what they share from their own personal Backyard BK’s.”


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Sony was one of the first companies to officially declare their Xperia line up would be updated to Ice Cream Sandwich in early 2012. They've just released a beta ICS ROM for Xperia Play which can be downloaded here. It's beta in its purest sense and is missing quite a lot of essential features. You don't get WiFi support and Google services are missing which means it's basically not for end customers but for developers to get a sneak peek. While releasing a beta ROM might mean the final build is right around the corner, unfortunately Sony has stated the update has been delayed ever so slightly.
Back in December 2012 Sony Ericsson said we'd get the update by March. However with the delay the release date has been pushed to mid-April for the Xperia Arc S, Neo V, and Ray. Xperia Arc and Play would get their updates in May/June. This is a substantial delay from the initial March release date. Sony has also stated the update wont be OTA and that users will have to install it manually. That is certainly extremely odd and we'll wait for Sony to shed some light on this.


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By Bernard Hickey
Prime Minister John Key said he was open to using the Government’s strong balance sheet to support economic growth with a fresh burst of infrastructure spending as it did from 2009 to 2011, but he did not see any signs of the economy sliding back to 2009 levels.
Key’s comments came after ANZ Economist Cameron Bagrie said in a weekly note it was time for the Government and Councils to use their strong balance sheets to support the economy and help the Reserve Bank.
Key told his weekly post-cabinet news conference he was still confident about the economy despite the recent slumps in dairy prices and business and consumer confidence.
He said the economy was still growing robustly thanks to export growth from the tourism, kiwifruit, wine and meat industries, along with solid construction activity in Christchurch and Auckland.
He said, however, the Government remained open to loosening its fiscal stance if it needed to, as it did in the depths of the Global Financial Crisis in 2009 and after the 2011 earthquakes.
“We’ve done that in the past and I’m confident that we’d do that again,” Key said.
Key said China’s slowdown was more of a concern than Greece’s financial crisis, given Greece was New Zealand’s 74th largest export partner, although he was “not terribly worried about China.”
He said ANZ’s economists may be getting “a little ahead of themselves,” by calling for a fiscal response and that there was no suggestion from Treasury or the Reserve Bank of the need for such a fiscal response.
“Put it this way: Treasury and reserve bank are not coming over and saying ‘Houston, you have a problem,” he said.
Key said people worried about a return to a recession “needed to take a deep breath.”
“We’re a long way from that feeling of 2009,” he said.
Key said the Government would prefer to use infrastructure spending rather than any increase in operating allowances if it had to loosen its fiscal stance.


text: Three appeal judges have unanimously refused to overturn a High Court 2-1 majority ruling last December which backed the Government\'s approach. The case relates to Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith\'s decision to use the consumer price index (CPI) instead of the normally faster-rising retail price index (RPI) to measure price increases influencing pension upgrades. The unions say the CPI route will see the value of pensions cut by up to 20pc over a normal retirement, costing every affected worker thousands of pounds. They accused the Government of unlawfully attempting to reduce pension costs in the battle to cut the UK\'s financial deficit. The change from RPI to CPI is expected to save almost £6bn a year by 2014. But the Court said that where there were two different indexes, either of which could properly be used for the purpose of uprating public sector pensions, it was permissible for the Government to take into account the effect on the national economy when choosing between them.


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The Google Pixel 7 Pro is among the flagships of the Android market, but unfortunately it can also break down. The big question, of course, is how much repairing such a smartphone will cost you. Curiously, WANT editor Jeroen Kraak comes across hefty involvement from…Samsung?
It took a while, but since last year the Google Pixel is finally officially on sale in the Netherlands. So with the launch of the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 7, the party can begin here as well.
The cost of the Google Pixel 7 Pro
Google’s smartphone stands out by offering incredibly good specifications at a relatively affordable price. Especially when compared to competitors like the Samsung S23 and the iPhone 14 line. But does Google make a hefty profit on sales?
Smartphone makers like Apple and Samsung are not too eager to tell how much they earn per device. Google, too, is keeping its jaws tightly shut about the Pixel 7 Pro. Fortunately, there are always research firms willing to find out, in this case Counterpoint Research.
Therefore, we now know exactly how much it cost Google to make the phone. To do this, it has added up the various prices of the components and thus estimated the cost to produce a phone. Something, by the way, that also happens with models from Apple and Samsung. Is everything a profit?
According to Counterpoint, the Google Pixel 7 Pro costs 384 euros to make. So that’s just the parts. Of course, developing a phone does cost a bit more money. For example, research costs and the marketing budget are not included.
Ring it up! (Image: Google)
In the Netherlands, taxes like VAT are then added on top. So you can’t say that Google picks up over 500 euros profit per device on the Pixel 7 Pro, since the recommended retail price is 899 euros.
5 Unique Google Pixel 7 Pro Features
In our review, Mark tells 5 reasons why this smartphone is unique. Things that Samsung and Apple, for example, do not have. Here they come.
Tensor G2 processor
Stock Android version
Google Assistant unleashed
Samsung profits handsomely
What stands out about the survey is that Android competitor Samsung is the big winner with the Google Pixel 7 Pro. That may sound odd, but it actually makes a lot of sense. The Galaxy S23 maker supplies several components for the device. Consequently, 51 percent of production costs go to Samsung.
Most of that cost is for the screen (20 percent). Samsung also supplies the modem, camera sensors and various chips, among other things. Interestingly, Google is only responsible for 7 percent of the cost of the components. This mainly involves the Tensor G2 processor that the company develops itself.


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Britain’s inflation rate eased as a drop in the price of eating out offset some of a surge in transportation costs.
Consumer prices rose 3.1% last month, a notch slower than the 3.2% forecast by economists, the Office for National Statistics said Wednesday. The reading left inflation well above the Bank of England’s 2% target for a second month.
Financial markets expect the central bank to lift interest rates next month to contain an upward spiral in prices. BOE officials expect the headline inflation rate to jump above 4% this year -- more than double their 2% target.
The cost of transportation led gains in inflation in September, with a hefty jump in petrol prices even before a fuel crisis reduced supplies. Used car prices also rose sharply.
Those factors were offset by a sharp decline in prices at hotels and restaurants, which fell back in September when compared with a year ago.
©2021 Bloomberg L.P.


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The office furniture industry continues to regain momentum.
In its latest quarterly report, Michael A. Dunlap & Associates reveals the industry index has risen from 52.84 in the first quarter to 55.07 in the second quarter of this year. The index, based on a scale of one to 100, with 50 being neutral, measures trends and current business activity in the office furniture industry and its vast network of suppliers.
“I think the industry is doing much better than any time since the 2008-09 recession,” local industry insider Michael Dunlap said in a news release. “What we described as flat three months ago is now better described as climbing. This is good news.
“The overall index is the highest since October 2011 and is well above the survey average (of the past nine years).”
Other findings of the 2013 second-quarter survey:
Gross shipments (56.59) and order backlog (60.91) were up significantly compared to first-quarter numbers.
Employment (54.22) rose 2.5 points while hours worked (51.54) dropped almost four points.
Capital expenditures (54.42) remained steady while tooling expenditures (55.58) dipped slightly.
New product development (61.90) fell slightly.
Raw materials costs (47.67) and employee costs (47.05) both improved.
The personal outlook index, measuring industry confidence, jumped from 54.73 in the first quarter to 60.44 — well above the survey average since it was started in August 2004.
“I am thrilled to see the increase of the index in personal outlook,” Dunlap said. “It’s the best in two years.”
The most frequently cited threats to the industry, according to Dunlap’s survey, were healthcare costs, transport costs, energy costs, exchange rates and materials costs.
Dunlap forecasts modest third-quarter growth. He is predicting accelerated fourth-quarter expansion in the industry, which is beginning to rebound on the strength of groundbreaking new product offerings such as Haworth’s Bluescape touchscreen wall and Herman Miller’s The Living Office transitional workspaces.
“I think 2014 will be one of the industry’s best years in a decade,” he said.
The third-quarter results were from responses to 750 surveys sent to individuals in office, education, healthcare and hospitality furniture manufacturing and their suppliers from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North and South America.
For more information, go to: mdunlap-associates.com
— Follow this reporter on Twitter @BizHolland


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Final Fantasy XIII-2 NA release window confirmed
Square Enix, assistant PR Manager just a while ago on Twitter announced the North America launch window of Final Fantasy XIII-2.
According to the details announced Final Fantasy XIII-2 will launch in NA at somepoint in January 2012. Check out below what tweets from Square Enix, assistant PR Manager reads:
“FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 is slated for a January 2012 release for North America. Be excited!”


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The Israel Electric Corp. has announced that it will no longer cut off customers who fail to pay their electricity bills. The company will seek to collect money owed it via other means.
MK Eitan Cabel, chairman of the Knesset Economic Committee, praised the company for its move. “After many years of effort we have succeeded in getting the Israel Electric Company to change its policy to a new, advanced policy, which considers electricity a basic need that should not be taken because of a debt. It was not easy to get this policy changed, and there was much opposition along the way. But I am glad that we were able to prevail.”
The policy change was the result of years of lobbying and pressure by MKs and consumer groups, including the Yedid organization, which defends consumer rights. In a statement, Yedid praised the change in policy. “It was a worthy decision to include electricity in the list of basic rights that consumers have a right to (sic), like that of water, which can no longer be turned off in the event that a customer fails to pay their bill,” the group said.


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Not sure if your brand is getting an audience on Pinterest?
New figures from the visual social network suggest that this is easier than ever as monthly average users (MAUs) worldwide have increased 37%.
Although US Pinterest users grew more slowly than international audiences, Americans remain the primary source of Pinterest revenue and a gold mine for marketers to reach and inspire new audiences.
Pinterest reported $ 582 million in revenue from the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2020 and another $ 123 million worldwide.
With growth in each quarter, Pinterest grew its revenue from just over $ 1 billion in 2019 to $ 1.69 billion in 2020.
Pinterest's popularity now competes with TikTok & Snapchat
Pinterest has done well since the platform was released on April 18, 2019, closing the fourth quarter of 2020 with 98 million U.S. MAUs.
This corresponds to a growth rate of 46% internationally and 11% in the USA compared to the previous year.
This active user volume puts Pinterest in the same popularity section as TikTok, which reportedly had around 100 million users as of August 2020.
Read on below
Similarly, Snapchat was reported to have 108 million US users as of January 2021.
Aside from a slight slip in the second quarter of 2018, Pinterest's US membership has grown steadily since 2016.
If you're planning your own marketing strategy or looking for effective channels for customers, Pinterest is the place for you with TikTok and Snapchat.
Read on below
But who are you going to connect with on Pinterest?
GenZ and Millennials are driving Pinterest's growth
Women were the main audience that Pinterest welcomed when the platform first launched, and they still make up 60% of the global platform's users. However, in a post dated July 31 last year, the company stated:
"Gen Z and Millennials are driving a lot of our growth, and the number of men on Pinterest is increasing by nearly 50% every year."
Last October, the platform also stated the following:
"Pinners engaged in retail space on Pinterest have grown by over 85% in the past six months."
According to Pinterest, Gen Z winners are promoting the popularity of beauty trends like "indie beauty" and "rainbrows".
Millennials have now joined the "more doors" trend as they found new ways to optimize their footprint at home.
Read on below
If you want to connect with foodies, target Gen X Pinners with your Sponsored Pins. This is the activity of the audience on searches like "Epic Sausages", "You're the Top Chef", and "Bland is Forbidden".
You can also find Boomer on Pinterest. The platform says this is the demographic behind searches for "Nomad Normal" and "Getaway Car" to avoid being locked down by a pandemic.
Pinterest continues to expand its offering, including updating its boards and introducing additional merchant tools to improve discoverability and help businesses get prospects above the conversion line.
If you haven't experimented with Pinterest before, maybe it is time to start.


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Whipsawed by Meta’s poor results a day earlier, Snap Inc. reported its first quarterly profit as well as top- and bottom-line numbers that beat Street expectations on Thursday. The results turned around a recent stock slide, with shares surging 59% in extended trading.
Snap SNAP, the maker of photo messaging app Snapchat, said privacy changes imposed last year by Apple Inc. AAPL on iOS devices hurt Snap’s ability to target and measure its digital advertising — echoing Meta’s concerns. Nonetheless, it persevered through strong sales that may be eating away at Meta’s audience.
“2021 was an exciting year for Snap and we made significant progress growing our business and serving our global community,” Snap Chief Executive Evan Spiegel said in a statement. “The strength of our core business has enabled us to accelerate our investments in augmented reality, transforming the way that the Snapchat community experiences the world through our camera.”
In a conference call late Thursday, Snap Chief Financial Officer Derek Andersen said Snap oversaw macroeconomic conditions such as supply-chain and labor issues because its direct-response advertising recovered “quicker than we anticipated” from Apple’s privacy changes.
Snap was already feeling Meta Platform Inc.’s FB pain after the company formerly known as Facebook reported a meta-bust of a quarter on Wednesday. Snap’s stock cratered 23% in Thursday trading to close at $24.51, a 52-week low, before rocketing in after-hours trading.
Snap posted a net income of $22.6 million, or a penny a share, compared with a loss of $113.1 million, or 8 cents a share a year ago and besting street predictions of a loss of 9 cents a share, according to analysts polled by FactSet. Snap’s adjusted earnings were 22 cents a share.
Snap’s sales improved 42% to $1.3 billion, which topped Street estimates of $1.2 billion. Snap topped $4 billion in 2021 sales. Company executives had earlier offered guidance of $1.165 billion to $1.205 billion.
Snap said it expects the Apple privacy changes and global supply-chain disruptions to linger a few more quarters. Executives issued first-quarter revenue guidance of $1.03 billion to $1.08 billion, in line with the $1 billion projected on average by analysts polled on FactSet.
Thursday’s precipitous drop in stock erased recent gains; Snap shares have nose-dived 48% so far this year, while the broader S&P 500 index SPX has dropped 6% in 2022. Shares of Meta, by comparison, are down 29% this year, while Pinterest Inc. PINS is off 32% and Twitter Inc. TWTR is down 20%.
“Snapchat is clearly not as prone to the TikTok effect as Meta, with strong daily active user growth in all regions, including North America,” Insider Intelligence analyst Jasmine Enberg said in an email message. “Even so, most growth came from Rest of World, and most of that likely from India, where TikTok remains banned.”
Snap reported 319 million daily active users in the fourth quarter, edging an average analyst forecast of 317 million, according to FactSet.


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Microsoft promised that sign-ups for a Windows Phone 8 SDK Preview Program would open today, and the company has followed through. Although the near-final kit will be available to current Windows Phone developers, Microsoft says access to the program is limited. A full Windows Phone 8 SDK will be made available publicly later this year once the company unveils Windows Phone 8, but the Preview Program will provide early access to developers.
Windows Phone developers can head over to Microsoft's connect site until Monday, September 17 at 5pm PDT to register. Developers accepted into the program will hear from Microsoft in the "following week with instructions on how to download the SDK." Microsoft says the limited Preview Program, instead of a public one, is due to the fact that not all Windows Phone 8 features have been announced. "We recognize that this is a different approach to delivering tools than we’ve taken in the past," says Microsoft's Todd Brix. Our goal is to generate as much Windows Phone 8 excitement as possible to attract new customers when phones go on sale.
It's still not clear exactly when Windows Phone 8 devices will be made available, but we're hearing that AT&T is aiming to stock the Nokia Lumia 920 on November 2nd.


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Prepaid debit cards have paved the way to cashless shopping and fast, digital transactions for millions of people across the world. But there is a dark side that leaves payment processors, banks and other card issuers like Google and Apple Inc. exposed to criminal activity that could lead to reputational damage and run-ins with regulators.
Issued by major banks and others, and running on the networks of payments giants like Visa and Mastercard, these prepaid cards are used to launder the proceeds of crime or fund terrorist plots. Victims of scams are pressured into handing over hundreds or thousands of dollars through gift cards from iTunes and Google Play. And there is a growing range of reloadable debit cards that allow holders of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to spend their funds in the real economy, with no real way of knowing whether those funds are the proceeds of illicit activity.
The popularity of prepaid cards shows no signs of abating. The global prepaid card market is anticipated to reach $3.653 trillion of revenue by 2022, with a CAGR of 22.7% between 2016 and 2022, according to Allied Market Research.
Paying fees to the card providers that vary depending on the type of card in use, consumers can use them to make purchases at home and abroad, offer them as gifts or have them provide deposit and savings facilities instead of or alongside traditional bank accounts. The latter function can be a lifeline for those otherwise excluded from mainstream financial services.
Most reloadable debit cards use the networks of major card processors including Visa Inc., Mastercard Inc. and Discover Financial Services to handle transactions. Between them, the three companies had some 388.7 million prepaid cards in circulation in 2018 from the 50 largest card issuers in the U.S. alone. Those cards generated $197.71 billion in purchase volume, according to the latest data available from research firm The Nilson Report.
The nearly $200 billion in U.S. prepaid card volume is forecast to rise to $352 billion by 2022, according to The Nilson Report. That would equate to a rise of about 78%, whereas total card spending is forecast to increase to $10.086 trillion from $7.266 trillion in 2018, a gain of roughly 39%.
The largest issuers of prepaid cards in the U.S. by the number of purchase transactions are a mix of global banks such as JPMorgan Chase & Co. and lesser-known names including MetaBank NA, The Bancorp Inc. and Green Dot Corp.
Given prepaid cards' popularity and the anonymous nature of many of them, fraud experts are increasingly concerned about the potential for abuse, from petty scams to money laundering for drug lords and terrorists.
"We see these cards present in many crimes from drug trafficking to human trafficking," John Tobon, deputy special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in South Florida, told S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Terrorists used prepaid cards to anonymously pay hotel bills and other expenses leading up to the 2015 Bataclan attacks in Paris, while the Mexican drug cartel led by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman routinely used them to move money across national borders.
Part of the appeal to criminals of prepaid cards is that they can be used to parcel large sums of money into small amounts, helping to avoid arousing anti-money-laundering, or AML, alerts when the funds are paid into the banking system and the wider economy. This is a practice dubbed "smurfing" by financial crime experts.
In most countries, customers depositing large amounts into a bank account must disclose where the money came from. In the U.S., for example, a bank must notify FinCEN, the bureau of the Treasury that deals with financial intelligence and AML, if a customer carries out a transaction or series of transactions of more than $10,000 in cash.
Criminals have long circumvented such rules by enlisting human "mules" to move physical money around in small quantities. But that is changing, according to Tobon.
"Criminal organizations that in the past would utilize money mules are now shifting to using prepaid cards," he said.
None of this is lost on regulators and lawmakers in their ongoing effort to fight financial crime. Within the European Union, for example, the Fourth Anti Money Laundering Directive prohibits the loading of anonymous debit and gift cards with more than €250 at a time, an amount that will fall to €150 later in 2020.
But loopholes and stumbling blocks remain.
For example, moving more than $10,000 in cash or other monetary instruments across a U.S. border without declaring it — and with specific intent to conceal it from authorities — is a criminal offense, carrying a maximum jail sentence of five years under the Bank Secrecy Act. Prepaid cards are not considered monetary instruments under the act. But according to Homeland Security's Tobon, they should be, as this would empower law enforcement to crack down on cross-border smuggling, he said.
In the U.S., senators across both main parties have been trying for over a decade to introduce a law requiring prepaid cards loaded with over $10,000 to be reported at border crossings. Chuck Grassley, a Republican senator and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, most recently reintroduced the bill in June 2019, but it has made no further progress.
A gift to criminals?
Criminologists and other fraud experts are also keeping close watch on another form of prepaid cards — gift cards, such as those from Apple and Google.
In the U.S., more than 38,000 reported crime cases in 2019 involved gift and other prepaid cards, accounting for $103 million of losses, up from $77.9 million a year previously, according to U.S. Federal Trade Commission data.
"Scammers are always looking for an easy way to make a fast buck. ... Gift cards are attractive to scammers because they can stay anonymous and get the money quickly," an FTC spokesperson said in an email. "Once they get their hands on a gift card [PIN], it's very difficult for the consumer to reverse the transaction."
Of late, that has meant scammers trying to take advantage of the coronavirus crisis. Several government departments and civil society organizations in the U.S. have warned the public to be wary of criminals demanding payment via gift card for bogus charity donations, medical equipment or requests for a deposit in order to "maintain" social security checks.
After getting hold of the unique numbers on the gift cards, scammers typically sell them at an attractive discount on resale or auction websites.
Apple's iTunes gift cards accounted for the highest number of reported scams in 2018, at 23.7%, followed by Google Play at 18.3%, the FTC said. The government agency could not comment on why gift card fraud has increased but said that the figures were based on reported incidents only and that the full scope of the problem could be greater.
A global problem
It is not just a U.S. phenomenon. Action Fraud, the U.K. police's fraud and cybercrime reporting division, said it received 11,329 reports of fraud involving iTunes gift cards between April 2015 and March 2018, with some £6.6 million lost as a result. Individuals affected by the scam lost £579 on average.
For a Toronto-based money-laundering and financial crime expert, gift card fraud struck close to home when her 70-year-old mother-in-law lost C$10,000 to scammers pretending to be tax authorities demanding quick payment of an outstanding tax bill.
The expert, speaking to Market Intelligence on condition of anonymity, described how her mother-in-law, who has a cognitive disability, was threatened and bullied into making multiple trips to supermarkets and drug stores over several weeks to purchase at least 30 gift cards.
"Even when she said that she would talk to my husband and me because we understand finances, the scammer told her that she should not do that because we would be ashamed of her," said the expert, who contacted Apple upon learning about the scam, relaying the numbers for all the approximately 30 gift cards involved.
The fraud expert would soon discover how deeply flawed the security around prepaid cards is. Not only was Apple unable to retrieve any of the money, but the police also failed to find leads that could help them pursue the case.
"If someone had forced my mother-in-law at gunpoint to withdraw funds, the police would have investigated [the case]. ... But when there is no violence, a fraud [or] theft of C$10,000 just isn't something that they have the resources or inclination to pursue," she said.
"Maybe [the victim's] bank could also have noticed these transactions of thousands of dollars at different stores across the city and put a hold of some sort on her account, because they were certainly outside of her normal activity."
Banks are limited in what they can do to protect consumers when it comes to gift card fraud, according to a spokesperson from Barclays PLC.
While a bank statement provides general transaction information, such as the amount paid and identity of the retailer, it does not show what was bought, making it impossible to identify multiple gift card purchases, the spokesperson said.
In terms of the supermarkets and other shops that sell the cards, some have policies aimed at curbing gift card fraud. For example, they can limit the number of cards sold to an individual in a single transaction and staff training can help spot and prevent unusual buying habits.
As for the gift card issuers, neither Google nor Apple responded to requests for comment from Market Intelligence. However, various fraud experts have no shortage of ideas of measures they could be taking beyond carrying warnings about the scams on their websites.
John Breyault, vice president for public policy at the National Consumers League, a Washington, D.C.-based consumer rights nonprofit, said Google collaborated with the league to roll out a fraud alert campaign about scammers using Google Play gift cards in late 2019.
Breyault would like to see other measures, such as more prominent warnings on gift card packaging, as well as changing public policy limiting consumer liability in the event of fraud, similar to the limited or zero liability consumers have with respect to credit card fraud. Current measures, he said, mean the companies appear to have "placed all of the responsibility on the consumer" to eradicate the problem.
In addition, Apple and Google could insist that card users' smartphones validate cards and codes, said Keith Furst, managing director of New York-based Data Derivatives, a consultancy company specializing in fighting financial crime.
"In other words, it would be harder for scammers to simply use the code by itself to redeem gift cards. The redeemer would physically need the card with the code in hand and [artificial intelligence] could help identify fakes," Furst said.
"These steps are doable, but would drive up the costs for the tech giants."
The challenge for Apple and Google is to find a way to increase antifraud enforcement "without changing the nature of gift cards," said David Glance, director of the University of Western Australia's Centre for Software and Security Practice. He added that the anonymity component could be scrapped by creating an account or profile linked to the card.
The prospect of tougher laws does not appear to have dampened the enthusiasm to push the boundaries of prepaid cards. This includes introducing new prepaid cards using cryptocurrencies from platforms such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple.
Roughly 30 crypto debit card products are available worldwide, according to U.K.-based McKay Research. Among the issuers rolling out such cards over the past year or so are Singapore's Tenx Pte. Ltd., the U.K.'s Wirex Ltd and Monolith, and BitPay Inc. in the U.S.
Their cards enable cryptocurrencies to be converted into a fiat currency to buy goods and services in shops where Visa and Mastercard are accepted. The amount of a purchase is deducted from the holder's virtual wallet at a conversion rate based on the value of the cryptocurrency at the time of sale.
Alongside this innovation, however, sits another opportunity for criminal abuse of the cards, notably by converting "dirty" cryptocurrency earned via illicit activities into fiat money.
"The ease with which these card services allow crypto to be exchanged for goods and services can make them a target for cybercriminals, fraudsters and other illicit actors seeking to turn illicit crypto proceeds into 'clean' purchases of everyday items," David Carlisle, head of community at global cybersecurity consultancy Elliptic, said in an email.
Crypto cards were among items seized by Spanish police in the bust of a major cybercrime gang in 2018, according to Europol. The gang was allegedly behind the Carbanak and Cobalt cyberattacks, which infected with malware the internal networks of over 100 financial institutions in more than 40 countries, enabling the fraudsters to siphon off money via ATM withdrawals and fund transfers.
The gang stole up to €10 million per attack in a global operation that is estimated to have cost the financial services industry some €1 billion.
Unregulated and anonymous
Unregulated and traded anonymously, cryptocurrencies play a key role in criminal activity on the so-called dark web. An estimated $76 billion of illegal activity annually involves bitcoin — accounting for nearly half of all bitcoin transactions, according to a 2018 paper from the University of Sydney.
"The level of technical and financial skill needed to convert 'dirty' cryptocurrency into fiat money is greatly lowered by these debit cards," said Rolf van Wegberg, a criminologist and researcher in the faculty of technology, policy and management at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
Although most prepaid crypto cards require applicants to provide a photo ID and personal information, van Wegberg said criminals appeared to have gotten around these requirements by supplying fake or incomplete personal details to enable a sale.
Such lapses and abuse could hypothetically land payment networks such as Visa and Mastercard in hot water given regulators' focus on AML and know-your-customer, or KYC, procedures. Western Union Co. paid more than $600 million in combined settlements in 2017 and 2018 to various U.S. regulators for failing to crack down on agents who were abetting scammers, and fellow money transfer company Moneygram handed over $125 million to the U.S. Justice Department for fraud and AML shortcomings.
Payment network operators could similarly fall foul of regulators if a prepaid crypto card company using their network were found to have facilitated crime, van Wegberg said.
However, a Mastercard spokesperson said in an interview that the company has appropriate controls in place and that, "Where a cryptocurrency is converted into fiat, it is done separately by the program manager or a third party, outside of our systems. Mastercard has no involvement in that process and our anti-money-laundering and know-your-customer requirements are applicable to all program managers who issue cards with us."
Visa did not respond to a request for comment.
Prepaid crypto card companies contacted by Market Intelligence, including Wirex and Tenx, also said they have thorough know-your-customer processes in place, as well as robust mechanisms to alert them to potential money laundering, making the cards as safe as, if not safer than, traditional banking cards.
"We receive alerts if transactions are originated from or involve dark web transactions or known wallets that have such connections; we can tell if a digital wallet contains previously reported stolen crypto, even if it is just $1 of value," said Matias Lapuschin, a spokesperson for Crypterium Ou, an Estonia-based mobile payments company, which launched a crypto card in 2019.
"Could a bank do the same thing with the money paid in over the counter? Of course not."


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Full-stack restaurant management solutions firm LimeTray has expanded its presence by commencing its operations in the US market.
The company’s solutions for the US market will focus on three categories, namely Discovery, Engagement and Analytics.
Under the Discovery category, products such as online ordering system, mobile app, table reservation and branded website will help restaurants to increase visibility online.
The Engagement category will offer products such as customer relationship management (CRM), feedback and loyalty programmes for customer interaction and retention.
In addition, the company’s Analytics products will offer restaurants complete data visibility for critical business decision-making and enabling them to automate functions and focus on creativity, food, and customer experience.
LimeTray co-founder Piyush Jain said: “By solving for some of the most pressing issues of the restaurant owners today, we plan to offer them a complete solution. Starting with the major challenge of acquiring and retaining loyal customers.”
Berco managing partner Kabir Advani said: “LimeTray provides us with all-round technology solutions under one roof. The CRM system is very successful and seamless. We don’t need to look elsewhere now.”
Established in 2013, LimeTray currently has a client base of more than 4,500 restaurants including Burger King, Mad Over Donuts, Taco Bell, Krispy Kreme, and other local and national restaurants.
The company currently offers services in India, the UK, UAE, South Africa, and plans to expand its business across other geographies.
LimeTray co-founder Akhilesh Bali said: “The Restaurant tech space is booming in the US. Restaurants are increasingly in need of digital solutions that simplify their lives.
“Further machine learning and data tech would change how these restaurants acquire and retain customers. These are exciting times for us, and we look forward to what comes next.”
LimeTray offers a range of products to restaurants including point of sale, digital marketing, online ordering, operations management, and customer relationship management and analytics.


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Panasonic Corporation has named Tom Gebhardt, currently president of Peachtree City, GA-based Panasonic Automotive Systems Company, to succeed Joseph M. Taylor as chairman and CEO of Panasonic Corporation of North America based in Newark. Mr. Gebhardt, a 32-year veteran of the company, will become chairman and CEO effective April 1, 2017.
After almost 34 years with Panasonic Corporation’s principle US subsidiary, Mr. Taylor has chosen to retire. During his seven years as Chairman and CEO, Mr. Taylor successfully led the company’s business transformation during which its primary focus shifted from consumer electronics products to B2B and B2G solutions, while also driving a culture of innovation. Mr. Taylor, the first American executive officer and managing executive officer of the Panasonic Corporation, as well as the first non-Japanese to serve as chairman & CEO of Panasonic Corporation of North America, led the company’s growth in each year of his tenure and to exceptionally high growth, sales and revenue in the current fiscal year. Mr. Taylor was also responsible for creating Panasonic’s Smart City initiatives which demonstrate how public-private partnerships can work to improve the quality of life of residents. He was also instrumental in the decision to move the company’s headquarters to Newark in 2013.
During his tenure as Chairman and CEO, Mr. Taylor received many tributes, including a doctorate in engineering honoris causa from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in 2010 and the 2016 Corporate Leadership Award from the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice.
Tom Gebhardt has led Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America since 2012, presiding over its growth into Panasonic’s largest and most dynamic business in North America. During his career with the company, Mr. Gebhardt has served as President of Panasonic Industrial Group, President of Panasonic Factory Solutions Company of America, and General Manager of Panasonic Batteries.
“I want to thank Joe Taylor for his more than 34 years of service to Panasonic, his vision and unmatched leadership of Panasonic Corporation of North America,” said Kazuhiro Tsuga, president of Panasonic Corporation. “Panasonic is also grateful that Joe has agreed to help us position Panasonic Avionics Corporation and Hussmann Corporation for continued success.”
“To have been a part of this hundred-year-old global company has been an honor,” said Mr. Taylor. “To lead Panasonic in North America, particularly as the first non-Japanese head, has been a privilege. I have had a great ride, led a huge business transformation, worked with and met wonderful people, been around the world and had an opportunity to play a role in the technology revolution. I never dreamed of such a life. To finish this phase of my career knowing my successor is Tom Gebhardt makes it perfect.”
Upon retiring, Mr. Taylor will assume the role of Vice Chairman of the company until December 31, 2017. He will also serve as a strategic advisor to Lake Forest, CA-based Panasonic Avionics Corporation and as a board member of Panasonic Corp. of North America subsidiary Hussmann Corporation, which is based in Bridgeton, MO.
“I am honored to be chosen to lead this exciting company into the next phase of its growth,” said Gebhardt. “I continue to be impressed by the dedication and knowledge of our employees and I look forward to continuing to build our presence in this market so we can provide customers with the innovative solutions they have come to expect from Panasonic. I would like to sincerely thank Joe Taylor for the commitment and expertise he’s demonstrated in helping the company transform over the past few years, and I am committed to continuing his good work.”
Succeeding Mr. Gebhardt as president of Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America will be Scott Kirchner, who currently serves as the company’s chief technology officer and Executive vice president.Related Articles:


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YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Ford Motor Co. announced its entry into Myanmar on Tuesday, saying it plans to open the nation's first sales and service showroom for new vehicles by August.
Myanmar's vehicle market has been stunted by decades of international sanctions and strict import controls put in place by the military junta that ruled for nearly 50 years, handing out import licenses to a few favored tycoons. Today most vehicles on the road are used Japanese cars, with an estimated 80 percent of vehicles over 10 years old.
"It's got a lot of positives in a country of roughly 60 million people with some of the lowest car ownership per capita in the world," said David Westerman, a regional manager for Ford Asia Pacific. "We see tremendous opportunity."
"There is no automotive industry of new vehicles in the country right now," Westerman said. "The excitement we have is in shaping the industry here."
Ford must not only figure out what customers want, but also train people to service their vehicles and work with the government as it establishes regulations for new cars.
Ford has hired around 50 people for its Yangon operations and plans to expand across the country. Ford has no immediate plans to open assembly or manufacturing plants.
Myanmar is the poorest country in Southeast Asia. Ford's new cars are premium vehicles in a place where most people buy used cars.
Westerman said initial demand will likely be mainly for commercial vehicles, but the company plans to introduce a full range of cars, trucks and SUVs by year's end. Its starting line-up includes the Ford Ranger truck and Taurus sedan.
Zaw Zaw, a 44-year-old used car dealer in Yangon, said Ford will have a hard time overcoming consumer preference for affordable, fuel-efficient Japanese cars.
"American cars will be more expensive and will use more fuel," he said. "I think customers will like Japanese cars more."
Ford joins PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, GE, Caterpillar and Danish brewer Carlsberg, which have all signed distribution deals in Myanmar as rapid political and economic reforms transform the country from pariah state to investor darling.
Unlike companies in Europe and Australia, Ford must negotiate a lingering web of U.S. sanctions against Myanmar. The European Union this month joined Australia in eliminating its financial sanctions, leaving the U.S. as the only country with restrictions on doing business here. The United States has suspended — but not rescinded — most sanctions, and maintains a targeted list of blacklisted companies and individuals. Some U.S. businesses say the ambiguity about sanctions and onerous reporting requirements puts them at a competitive disadvantage.
Westerman said sanctions didn't present too much of a hurdle for Ford.
"We took a lead off the U.S. government and their call for American businesses to invest here in Myanmar," he said. "We do our due diligence like we do in any market."
Ford's Myanmar distributor, Capital Automotive, is a unit of the Capital Diamond Star Group, whose managing director, Ko Ko Gyi, has managed to build a successful conglomerate with interests ranging from trading and distribution to construction and real estate, without running afoul of U.S. sanctions.
This is his second big win with a U.S. company. Diamond Star Co., another group company, became the sole importer and distributor for PepsiCo's Pepsi-Cola, 7-Up and Mirinda brands in Myanmar last year.
U.S. Ambassador Joseph Mitchell, speaking at the Ford press conference Tuesday, said U.S. policy is now to encourage "responsible investment" in Myanmar. Government regulation, he said, is not intended to thwart investment, but to ensure that U.S. companies contribute to an equitable business environment.
"Companies will make their own judgment about whether these requirements are onerous," he said. "We believe American companies can model the type of behavior that can contribute to reform. We gain an advantage as a country and our companies gain an advantage."
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Explore more news here.


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We previously told you that around 1.7 million people had used the new evasi0n tool to jailbreak their iOS device, according to stats from Cydia installs. Today, we get a little update on the progress: Jay Freeman told Forbes that Cydia recorded over 7 million devices, as of last night, and “insanely more new traffic” than the release of iOS 5’s Absinthe jailbreak tool and others before it.
As of Thursday night, Freeman’s alternative app store had received visits from 5.15 million iPhones, 1.35 million iPads, and 400,000 iPod touches that were jailbroken with evasi0n, the first jailbreaking software for the iPhone 5 and iOS 6.1.
Freeman says that evasi0n has brought Cydia “insanely more new traffic” than the release of the jailbreak tool called Absinthe that worked on some versions of iOS 5. And even Jailbreakme3, the popular web-based jailbreak released by iPhone hacker Comex in the summer of 2011, was only used on 1.4 million devices in its first nine days online
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Automaker Ford announced on Thursday that it will cut back vehicle production in India after losing $2 billion in investments.
Ford CEO Jim Farley said the move was "difficult but necessary" for a "sustainably profitable business longer-term."
"Despite investing significantly in India, Ford has accumulated more than more than $2 billion over the past 10 years and demand for new vehicles has been much weaker than forecast," Farley said in a statement.
Manufacturing will end immediately and exports will wind down at the Chennai plant in the coming months, the automaker said.
The shutdown is expected to affect 4,000 employees.
"This restructuring is a response to increasingly challenging market conditions including the extended slowdown of India's auto industry," Anurag Mehrota, president and managing director of Ford India, said.
"Ford India will continue engine manufacturing for export, as well as full customer support operations with service, aftermarket parts and warranty support," the company added.


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NEW YORK, New York — The Girl Scout organization wants to see more women in STEM careers and they backed up that statement with an announcement of their own by saying they are adding 23 new badges related to science, technology, engineering, math and the outdoors.
Girl Scouts can now earn badges through activities like programming robots, designing model race cars, writing code and going on environmentally conscious camping trips.
The Girl Scouts of the USA, founded in 1912, has created badges with the help of organizations like Code.org, SciStarter, GoldieBlox and the Society of Women Engineers.
The new experiences are meant to address “the lack of exposure many girls have to STEM,” Girl Scouts CEO Sylvia Acevedo told CNN Tech in an email.
The new STEM badges come a month after the organization added cybersecurity badges. Those badges will be available to girls in kindergarten through 12th grade over the next two years.
Previously, Girl Scouts were able to earn tech-related badges such as for learning how to use a computer and designing a website.


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With all the awareness around food allergies, we are careful about what we pack in our kids' school lunches. So why not apply that same caution (and inclusiveness) to Halloween?
That's the thought behind The Teal Pumpkin Project. Since 2014, this initiative encourages families "to place a teal-coloured pumpkin in front of their home to show they have non-food treats available for children with food allergies and other kids for whom candy is not an option."
In Canada, about 300,000 kids have food allergies. And it isn't just peanuts. Other common allergies include: tree nuts, seafood (fish, shellfish, crustaceans), egg, milk, sesame, soy, mustard and wheat.
By participating in The Teal Pumpkin project, Canadians will ensure that all kids can safely participate in Halloween. And for food allergy parents, this is a big relief.
"I noticed him looking at what treats people were giving him," remembers Rebecca Walters of past Halloweens. Her six-year-old son has many food allergies, which means a lot of candy is off limits.
"Each door we visited was a reminder to him of all the items he can't consume — and it broke my heart," the Ontario mom told the Hamilton Spectator.
She has a teal pumpkin and has stocked up on non-food items for Halloween. She's hoping more families will do the same for when her son goes trick or treating.
"I never want to have my son feel left out because of these allergies."
If you're planning to have a teal pumpkin this year, check out these awesome ideas.
Also on HuffPost


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A leaked internal memo shows that Best Buy plans to launch a nationwide iPad 2 promotion starting tomorrow, Sunday, April 17, according to a report by Engadget. The marketing push follows rumors that Apple had banned Best Buy from selling the iPad 2 due to a dispute over the big-box retailer’s handling of sales of the device.
According to the original Apple-Best Buy spat rumor, Best Buy was reportedly telling employees not to sell any more iPad 2 units after the stores had met their daily quota. Apple was reportedly not happy with this, since the highly sought-after device became difficult to purchase due to low supply.
Both Apple and Best Buy denied claims that the two companies were in dispute.
Then, on April 8, Best Buy released a statement to BGR, which stated that they were actively “fulfilling customer reservations [for iPad 2s] first,” but that “stores have been asked to temporarily hold non-reserved iPad 2 inventory for an upcoming promotion.”
The leaked memo seems to detail that promotion. According to the memo, which was given to Engadget from an anonymous source, “the iPad 2 will be featured on the front cover of the April 17 ad and because of this, the reserve order system will be turned back on on Sunday.”
The memo stipulates that “no rainchecks” will be provided to customers, except in Michigan and Ohio, where stores have a minimum of three units for each model. In those state, Best Buy’s Reserve Ticket System will be used to fulfill customer order, if the stores do not have the three unit minimum.
Chances are that three iPad 2 units won’t be nearly enough to satisfy tablet hungry customers, and Best Buy knows it, saying in the memo that “many store won’t be in the optimal inventory situation.” In those cases, the company will give the customer a reservation, which will enable them to pick up their iPad 2 once it’s in stock.
In the memo, Best Buy says that it will take iPad 2 reservations for “the entire week of the ad, possibly longer.” Best Buy employees will be allowed to purchase iPad 2s.
Apple’s online store is still listing two- to three-week wait times for iPad 2 orders. So if you’re thinking about purchasing the tablet, Sunday might be a good time to head to your local Best Buy.
Update: Apparently Sunday is iPad 2 day. According to 9to5Mac, Toys R’ Us will be added to the lucky list of retailers allowed to carry Apple’s second generation tablet. Customers can purchase both the 16GB and 32GB Wi-Fi only iPad 2 models there, starting tomorrow, April 17. The toy store will also sell Apple’s nifty Smart Covers.
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